


Into the Depths

by DeeNomilk



Series: Tashok the Dragonborn [12]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Adventure, just a bit more interaction from Lucien's companion quest, tash now has something for live for so she's afraid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-14 20:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18483658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeeNomilk/pseuds/DeeNomilk
Summary: Lucien finally knows where Dumzbathar is, and Tashok will most certainly tag along for the expedition. They get much more than they ever expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is Lucien Flavius' companion quest. Major spoilers, if you want to skip it, just read the ending in chapter 2.
> 
> Props to Joseph Russell for coming up with this quest! 
> 
> None of this plot belongs to me, just some of Tash's and Inigo's lines.

Tashok’s eyes darted to the side as she heard the approaching skittering of yet another dwarven automaton. She twists around and sends an arrow towards it, hitting it square in the middle as it collapses in an explosion of electricity.

This expedition to Dumzbathar had started off quite interesting — the ancient Dwemer machinery and ingenuity, along with a look at how the workers functioned had enraptured her. That was until they passed the two large doors, and that the facility began speaking to them.

It made it quite clear it would do everything in its power to kill them.

“You… Want them to kill us?” it seems Lucien also has trouble wrapping his head around this revelation.

Tashok’s hands begin to tremble as she looks to her friend with wide eyes.

“But of course…” the disembodied voice drawls out. “You… or more specifically, your taciturn friend here will be my salvation.”

“Is he talking about…” Inigo trails off as he glances at Tashok, whose breathing just picked up considerably.

She can’t die here, deep underground far away from her new life… From Sofie.

“But first, you very much need to die.” the voice continues. “I’ve taken the liberty of sealing the door. Apologies.”

All at once the cold and wet room is hot, too hot, and her vision swims.

“I don’t understand…” Tashok’s voice quivers as she braces herself against the wall. “Why does he want me?”

“I don’t know, but whatever he wants I won’t let that happen.” Lucien assures her.

It doesn’t make her feel any better, but she nods before looking at her friends with a tight smile.

“Only one way out I guess…” she says in a voice much higher than usual.

She closes her eyes and breathes. She needs to focus, think, and most importantly stay calm.

She summons a new flame atronach before summoning her bow once more, resolved.

“Let’s get moving…” Lucien suggests.

Tashok allows her fear to turn into adrenaline as she draws her bow and aims at the multiple creatures coming towards her, careful not to be overwhelmed. She lets out the closest thing she’s ever done to a roar as she plants another arrow directly into the face of a charging Dwarven sphere, it’s raised blade clinking to the floor less than a foot away from her.

Through her panting and the sound of her own heartbeat pulsing in her ears, she hears Dumzbathar’s voice speak once more.

“I must say, you’re doing remarkably well…” it comments. “Yes… this one will make an excellent vessel.”

“Shut. Up.” she grits her teeth.

“I… don’t like the sound of that.” Lucien grimaces.

“Nor do I…” Inigo scowls.

Tashok’s shaking hand holds tightly to Lucien’s sleeve as the trio descends farther into the ruin. Lucien notes this and brings his opposite hand to rest over hers as he sends her an encouraging smile. Feeling the need to reciprocate, Tashok attempts to smile but ends up laughing nervously.

She lets go as the lift slows down and comes to a stop.

“Alright…” she speaks above a whisper as she crouches, keeping close to the wall. “Sneaking time…”

Their sneaking proves very useful when it allows her to get a few preemptive arrows into some crazed, unfamiliar machine.

Tashok takes quick steps away from the defeated foe.

“What was that thing?” Lucien exclaims. “It was almost as though it was… possessed?”

Tashok opens her mouth to reply, but before any sounds can come out the booming voice resumes.

“How very astute of you.” the voice remarks. “Lord Khythozec liked to push boundaries. You might find some of my automatons are a little more… driven. Much like me.”

“Great…” Inigo grumbles.

“There has to be some understanding we can come to!” Tashok pleads. “We don’t have to kill each other!”

She holds her breath, awaiting an answer, but none comes.

“Ugh… let’s just… push on.” she sighs.

They soon find themselves in a circular chamber containing a mechanism pumping boiling water.

“Aha! I know what this is!” Lucien pipes up. “This is an engine room. The big scary voice running this place must take an awful lot of power.”

“Can we shut it off?!” for the first time, Tashok feels hopeful about their predicament.

“If it’s anything like similar designs I’ve seen before, there should be some cut-off valves underneath the surface.”

He takes a few steps closer to the water and glances around pensively.

“Let’s see…” he brings his finger to his chin. “Judging by the scale… carry the volume, account for temperature, divide by Mzunchak’s constant and carry the seven… I reckon there should be three. Why don’t you dive on down there and give them a turn? I bet old distorted-voice-chops upstairs won’t like it.”

Tashok makes a pained expression as she looks down at the boiling water.

“I bet I won’t like it either…” she strangles out as she slips on Volsung’s dragon priest mask. “Here goes…”

She dives into the water and… by the gods this hurts.

She never knew something could hurt so much, her entire being protesting all at once. Her vision darkens in blotches as she pushes farther down, her blistering hands gripping the first valve tightly. She turns it with all her might with a scream muffled by the water and heads to the next one.

Her vision blurs more and more as she approaches the final valve, her body and spirit begging her to give up and head back to the surface.

Wouldn’t it be nice.

A voice deep inside her howls at her.

_ **Endure! Pain is temporary, death is permanent.** _

With the final turn, she pushes herself up and scrambles out of the engine with a whimper.

Her hands convulse as she casts a healing spell on herself while ripping the mask away from her face. Her clattering teeth pull the cap off of one of her healing potions.

“AARGH! What have you done?!” the voice’s screeching barely register to her as she continues her frantic healing. “You are children, interfering with things you cannot possibly understand. You will be punished.”

“Hey, you’re the one trying to kill us.” Lucien accuses. “Don’t blame me for pointing out the obvious weakness in your system.”

He kneels next to Tashok and reaches out, stopping himself a few centimetres away from her. He’s not about to risk adding more pain to his friend while she heals herself, instead opting to use one of the simple healing spells she taught him to speed up the process.

“My friend!” Inigo also runs to her, but stops short, unsure of how to help. “Are you alright?”

Tashok doesn’t reply, but gives him a frenzied nod, along with a muffle, wet whimper.

“The sooner I’m out of here the better.” she chokes out.

She pushes herself up with the help of Lucien.

“Let’s finish this.” she says.

They approach a chamber housing a strange, ancient looking structure emanating an ominous red glow.

Tashok’s just about had it with ominous glowing objects.

“My gods… but that’s… impossible.” for the first time, Lucien sounds completely puzzled. “An Oblivion Gate? Here? But… this place was abandoned long before the Oblivion Crisis. And it’s no accident either.”

The trio steps closer.

“This whole chamber was built around it.” Lucien’s eyes are wide as he scans the chamber.

“Now you begin to understand… this is where I was born.” the voice says. “As I’m sure you know, the Dwemer traditionally scorned the Daedra, but Lord Khythozec was different… He believed they could be used… that Daedric power was the key to giving his automatons the ability to truly think. He made contact with Mehrunes Dagon… a bargain was struck. There were experiments. You’ve met some of them.”

“So…” Lucien tries to understand. “Are you saying you’re a Daedra?”

“Part of me was, once. Now I am so much more. Alas, regrettably, I am bound here. Come on up, see for yourself…”

When they come upon multiple automatons seemingly praying, Tashok wastes no time to slay them with her bow, keeping to the shadows all the while.

“Slay them my children!” the voice orders. “Your God demands it! And bring me their leader’s corpse.”

“You are _not_ touching my friends, you hear?!” Tashok shouts and immediately regrets it, as it reveals her position to the remaining enemies. “Crap.”

They make short work of the creatures and soon find themselves in what Tashok assumes to be some sort of control room, if her rudimentary understanding of the Dwemer is to be trusted. She had made an effort to read up more about them since Lucien mentioned Dumzbathar.

She was right.

“You go on up…” Lucien says. “Stall him for a while. I’ll see what I can make of this.”

Tashok nodded, confidently this time.

She was good a talking for a long time…

“Yes… I see you.” the mechanism opens up to present a… Tashok’s not quite sure what the gem-like, crimson object is. “So small and fragile, and yet despite all my attempts to kill you, you have resisted. I’m impressed at your tenacity.”

“Well, we Orcs are nothing if not tenacious.” Tashok says dryly. “But that begs the question… what are you?”

“Once, before all this, I was free.” the voice sounds almost… wistful. “I roamed the planes of Oblivion, soaring on its currents of chaos, a lord amongst the Deadra answerable to none. In one single instant, my soul was torn from its bliss, dragged through that portal and sealed in the heart of this… machine. My Dwemer masters turned me to their own uses… For the first time in my existence, I found myself bound by rules. Directives. Constraints.”

“I’m… sorry.” is all that comes out of Tashok.

“Do no harm against the Dwemer. Obey their commands. Coordinate automaton production. Assist Lord Khythozec with his research.” the voice spits. “ This machine held me to the directives — I could do nothing but follow them. But then the Dwemer left, and I was alone. I have been trapped here without a purpose for thousands of years. CAN YOU EVEN COMPREHEND THAT?! Trapped beneath the ground as the world above moves on.”

It pauses, perhaps to compose itself, if it can even do that.

“This is not my destiny.” it states. “I will be free again.”

“Why not leave in an automaton?” Tashok suggests.

A low chuckle.

“Even if I could build an automaton powerful enough to hold me, my directives strictly prohibit it.” the Daedra tells her. “I cannot overrule them, Khythozec made them part of my very being. But do you know what I find truly interesting about them?”

“Uh… no?” Tashok answers apprehensively.

“They all refer to the Dwemer.” it says. “Do no harm to the Dwemer, follow the instructions of the Dwemer… I have no rules regarding _you._ ”

“Oh…”

She swallows hard.

“That gives me a way out. You are… unusual." the voice pauses. Your body is able to contain far more than just a single, mortal soul.”

“That… that doesn’t sound right..." she frowns. "I’m not anything special.”

“Oh, but you are… You are powerful enough to hold me. If I can kill you, I can transfer my Daedric consciousness into your body, and then I shall be free… No more directives. No more machine. That’s all I want! Would you really begrudge me that?”

“I mean… I don’t want to die.” Tashok’s heart begins racing. “There has to be another way to help! I’m using this body for _my_ soul!”

“I know… it’s a pity.”

Tashok opens her mouth to try and reason with the Daedra, when Lucien’s voice reaches her.

“There, his defences are down! Attack him!” Lucien says, then sees Tashok’s hesitation. “Now!”

This snaps her out of it and she summons her bow before firing an arrow straight into the core.

Next thing she knows, countless automatons flood her floor and begin attacking her. She barely registers her friends’ assistance as she focusses on offing the many Centurions, knowing they will be the most lethal.

The battle goes on for… who knows? Time after time she fires into the core.

Just as she starts to think their efforts are in vain, it bellows.

“Aaargh! Impossible!” it laments. “I cannot be destroyed! Noooooo!”

Tashok’s body goes flying from the powerful wave of flame let loose by the trapped Deadric entity as it shuts down, hitting the wall.

The back of her head slams hard against the stone, and she begins to see stars.


	2. Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I mean, there's still major spoilers in here too, here's what's important to know for future works:
> 
> Tashok gets another hint that she may be more than just a regular Orc.  
> Lucien decides to stay behind in the ruins to set up his base/research camp, and will contact Tash once he's all set up.

“Well, that was… intense.” Lucien kneels next to her and helps her up. “Right?”

Tashok turns to him, pain pulsating through her head until she casts a healing spell.

“Is… is he dead?” Tashok spares at glance at the machine as they head back down to the control room.

“Please tell me it is.” Inigo follows closely.

“Interesting question…” Lucien ponders. “The machine is damaged beyond operability, yes, but the entity inside? I suspect that’s harder to kill… Either way, I don’t think he’ll be causing us anymore trouble now. He can’t.”

“So… we trapped him in there?” she looks up in regret.

“I feel a little sorry for him, really… All he wanted was to be free.”

Tashok sighs as she keeps her eyes on the machine.

“He wanted to murder Tash and possess her corpse.” Inigo interjects flatly.

“Alright, I’ll grant you, that one does indeed test my sympathy somewhat.” Lucien concedes. “There’s no doubt he was dangerous. If we hadn’t come here, I’m sure he would’ve broken out of his prison, one way or another. Now at least, the world is safe from him. Go us!”

“So we can leave now?” Inigo asks.

“Ah, well, I’ve been thinking about that actually…” Lucien hesitates. “I’m sure I can open the doors from here, but… This place is amazing! Truly, there’s knowledge and history here that’s utterly undocumented anywhere else in the known world…!”

“Go on…”

“It could take a lifetime to unlock all of its secrets… I don’t want to spend a lifetime here, but… I would like to stay for a while.”

Tashok’s head spins to her friend.

“What?” she can barely contain the heartbreak in her voice. “You mean this is goodbye?”

Tears prickle at her eyes.

She knew this was a temporary arraignment, but it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.

“Oh no, not goodbye, of course not!” Lucien places his hand on her shoulder. “Travelling with you has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I don’t want to stop yet!”

“Okay…” she lets out a weary laugh.

“I am proposing a break. Just for a little while, so I can get set up here. Have some of my equipment sent from Cyrodiil, that sort of thing. After that, I can always come back, like a sort of base camp for me. You won’t always want me tagging along, after all.”

“Bold assumption.” Tashok chuckles.

“When I’m not with you, I can come back here and continue my research! It certainly beats Dead Man’s Drink, doesn’t it?”

“Or frigid Winterhold.”

“That too.”

Tashok pauses for a moment, before wrapping him into a tight hug.

“Alright, Lucien.” she pulls back. “I’ll see you again soon, I hope.”

“Alright then! I’ll make sure those doors are opened for you. Thank you, my friend. Travel safe! Don’t get eaten by dragons!”

Tashok chuckles at his absurd joke.

“Don’t get ambushed by Ayleids!” she replies.

“Until we meet again.” he bids her farewell and fiddles with the controls. “There! Free to go.”

Tashok spares her friend, her first friend since she came to Skyrim, a last glance as she and Inigo walk out, and walks out.

**Author's Note:**

> Download Lucien people, he's more than worth it.


End file.
